Chapter 36: The Great Families
'Sister, who do you think you're looking down on?' Su Heng thought to himself. His current strength wasn't just ten times that of a normal person; with his increasing weight and size, his raw power was becoming even more terrifying and exaggerated.
In other words…
According to the martial arts system Su Li had described, Su Heng's potential was essentially limitless.
"You mentioned the Demon Form Realm," Su Heng asked. "What kind of realm is that?"
"Cultivating the Demon Form, Nurturing the Demon Fetus, and Transforming into Heavenly Deceit are considered the three major realms for cultivators like us," Su Li replied.
"Cultivating the Demon Form and Nurturing the Demon Fetus are further divided into three sub-stages: bones, muscles, and internal organs. As for the Heavenly Deceit Realm, that realm is too mysterious, too far beyond my reach. My master might know something about it, but I don't."
Demon Form, Demon Fetus, Heavenly Deceit… they sound increasingly delicious.
"Gulp!" Su Heng swallowed, then asked, "So, what realm are you at, Sister?"
"I've entered the second stage of the Demon Form Realm, Bone Forging," Su Li said, lifting her chin slightly with a proud expression.
"…"
Su Li clenched her fist, glaring at him. "What's with that dismissive look?"
"Such a prodigious talent," Su Heng offered a perfunctory compliment.
"I heard from Ning Zhibai that even those born with exceptional talent, top-tier bone structure and insight, need about thirty years of hard work to master a cultivation method and reach the Grandmaster realm," Su Heng said. "From my understanding, the so-called Grandmasters in the martial arts world are those who have developed their potential to the limit but haven't yet transcended the human realm."
"Clearly, a cultivator in the Demon Form Realm is stronger than a Grandmaster, significantly stronger."
"But you've only been studying abroad for two and a half years. Even with your exceptional talent, it's impossible to surpass thirty years of effort in just two and a half years."
Su Heng took her hand, noting the lack of calluses on her delicate skin. "You don't look like someone who's put in the hard work."
"I told you, I'm a once-in-a-century genius…" Su Li withdrew her hand.
"Alright…" She sighed, dropping the playful tone. "Since you killed the Water Ghoul, you must have realized the unusual nature of demons."
"Mm," Su Heng nodded.
"Using special methods, demonic flesh can be processed into 'elixirs.' Combined with the appropriate cultivation method, absorbing their potency can stimulate the body to undergo transformations, exceeding human limits and gradually approaching the demonic form. That's the true meaning of Cultivating the Demon Form."
"So you've taken a shortcut," Su Heng reflected on his own cultivation journey.
He had diligently cultivated a method from the very basics, without any external aid, relying solely on time and sweat to reach perfection, pushing his body's potential to its limit before breaking through to a new realm.
Therefore…
On the surface, Su Heng's realm was lower than Su Li's.
But in a real fight, Su Heng could probably defeat her even with his hands and feet tied.
Considering the progress of his Tendon Transformation on the attribute panel, he reasonably deduced that Su Li hadn't perfected the first stage of Cultivating the Demon Form.
She likely only had around fifty to sixty percent transformation, which could lead to an unstable foundation.
"Cultivation should be gradual, not rushed," Su Heng murmured. Unexpectedly, Su Li seemed to be struck by something, her expression darkening.
This… was there a story here?
Su Heng was surprised by her expression.
"Since your Demon Suppression Agency has such a long history, why haven't I heard of it before?" Su Heng questioned.
"Superior doctors treat before illness, middle doctors treat impending illness, and inferior doctors treat existing illness. Doesn't that show how well we do our job?" Su Li smiled. "Before demons caused chaos, we had already eliminated and suppressed them, so ordinary people wouldn't have heard of the Demon Suppression Agency's reputation."
"I see. Then why are demons appearing one after another now?"
"That…" Su Li shook her head. "I don't know either. It could be a natural disaster, a man-made disaster, or even both. I've only been with the Demon Suppression Agency for two years; where would I know the answer to that?"
"How about it? Want to join our Demon Suppression Agency?" Su Li playfully punched Su Heng's arm.
"I'll think about it…"
Su Heng didn't immediately agree. He was more concerned about Su Li than the Demon Suppression Agency itself. He feared she might encounter danger on missions and perish, which would deeply sadden him.
"Our Demon Suppression Agency has the Demon Suppression Tower, where demons who have wreaked havoc in Qingzhou for centuries are imprisoned. You can find the demonic flesh needed to aid your cultivation of any method within the Demon Suppression Tower," Su Li continued to persuade him.
She hadn't thought much of it, only feeling that Su Heng's terrifying talent shouldn't be wasted in a small place like Changqing County.
Demon Suppression Tower—wouldn't that be like an all-you-can-eat buffet for me? Su Heng was tempted.
He slowly stood up, an apple in his hand, and walked towards the window.
Suddenly remembering something, Su Heng frowned, speaking in a low voice, "Since a demon and the corresponding cultivation method can mass-produce Demon Form Realm cultivators far surpassing ordinary people, could there be those in the Great Zhou Dynasty who choose to raise demons to satisfy their ambitions?"
"Those people are usually called the Great Families," Su Li quietly appeared behind Su Heng, the smile gone from her fair face.
"The Great Families… doesn't the Demon Suppression Agency deal with them?" Su Heng asked.
"A hundred-year dynasty, a thousand-year family. Many of those families existed before the Great Zhou Dynasty was founded. The Demon Suppression Agency can only contain them, not completely eradicate them," Su Li sighed, her reply tinged with helplessness.
Su Heng recalled the records in the county gazette:
'Ten days of incessant rain, the spread of plague, people biting each other, more than ten thousand deaths in the city.'
'Yunzhou drought… millions of deaths in three prefectures, bones exposed in the fields, no crowing of roosters for a thousand li.'
'Qingmuzhou flood, dam collapse, countless floating corpses, crows obscuring the sun.'
Behind these seemingly ordinary natural disasters, were the Great Families involved? Su Heng didn't know.
If that were true…
The Great Families raising demons, demons devouring humans. Ordinary people were no different from weeds to these Great Family disciples. The worldly glory and wealth were merely fleeting smoke in the face of such disasters.
"Smoke… smoke… damn it!"
Su Heng suddenly looked up, his eyes widening. The bright sunlight outside had dimmed.
Under the iron-gray sky, wisps of fog, like streams, flowed over the ancient, towering city walls, spreading towards the city.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 37: Mycelium
"What's wrong?"
Su Li's brow furrowed with concern as she noticed the sudden change in Su Heng's expression.
"I…" Su Heng's thick brows were drawn together as he recounted his experience in Black Kui Mountain.
After listening,
Su Li's expression grew serious.
"You mean the fog might not be natural, but the work of a demon?"
"The Mist Demon is formidable," Su Heng nodded, adding seriously.
Su Li took out the demon-seeking compass from her bosom and infused it with True Force. Sure enough, the previously inert compass now emitted a faint glow, which intensified to a crimson hue as time passed.
"Do you know the origin of the Mist Demon?" Su Heng asked, suggesting the Demon Suppression Agency might have records.
"There are countless demons in this world. Sometimes, demons with similar innate abilities have vastly different effects," Su Li shook her head. Based solely on Su Heng's clues, she couldn't make an accurate judgment.
"I'll go take a look."
The Mist Demon, highly intelligent, had previously remained deep within Black Kui Mountain. Its intrusion into the city indicated a transformation, undoubtedly a negative one for Changqing County. Su Heng couldn't afford to wait; he needed to investigate and gather intelligence. He wasn't worried about danger; he could withstand direct confrontation. Demons were formidable due to their uncanny abilities, not brute strength.
"I'll come with you?" Su Li suggested.
"No," Su Heng shook his head. "You need to stay here to prevent any accidents at home."
"Fine…" Su Li sighed, somewhat dejected. She'd anticipated a triumphant return, a chance to show off her skills. But Su Heng had delivered a harsh lesson—a strength that defied reason, leaving her feeling hopeless.
"Be careful," Su Li said.
"Mm."
Su Heng nodded and pushed open the door, his tall, sturdy figure quickly disappearing into the increasingly dense fog.
…
The deserted streets were devoid of people. Shop windows were tightly shut. In the distance, a five-story restaurant called "Heaven and Earth" stood on a corner.
"Hee hee hee…"
An eerie laughter echoed, like children playing in the mist.
Su Heng stopped, gazing towards the sound, his expression serious and thoughtful.
He moved through the fog,
finding four or five children playing hopscotch. They were eight or nine years old, simply dressed, appearing to be from ordinary families.
"Why are you playing here alone? Where are the other people?" Su Heng approached them, crouching down, and asked softly, a smile on his face.
A girl in a red padded jacket with pigtails looked up.
Su Heng's pupils constricted.
Her face was painted with a white powder, making her complexion ghastly pale, her lips crimson, and her eyes pitch black, like a doll from a horror film. Her smile was unsettlingly cold.
"Hee hee hee…"
The pigtailed girl giggled. "Little Ya doesn't know. Little Ya will take big brother to find out, okay?"
"Okay." Su Heng's smile remained unchanged. He pulled out a few copper coins and slipped them into the girl's pocket. "Here's some money for candied haws."
"Thank you, big brother." The girl beamed.
She turned and walked into the mist, disappearing around a corner into an alley.
Su Heng followed, but stopped abruptly.
The alley was a dead end. It should have led to a tavern with a sign that read "Conquer the World," a place Su Heng frequented.
One entrance faced the bustling Fruit Street. The other, usually for staff, was directly in front of Su Heng. But for some reason,
it was sealed with a white strip bearing crimson characters. The scene was unsettling in the dim, silent alley, and the children had vanished.
"Hallucination? It doesn't seem that simple." Su Heng rubbed his eyes, but the scene remained unchanged.
The fog thickened, obscuring sight and sound. The city he'd lived in for over a decade suddenly felt alien.
Su Heng retreated from the alley, returning to the street and continuing forward, stopping again.
The previously locked shops and houses
were now open, figures standing in the dark doorways. They were pale, with stiff, eerie smiles, their forms slightly blurred in the mist.
"Hiss…"
Su Heng instantly recalled Li Si.
"Let's see what you really are." The more they played tricks, the more it suggested the demon couldn't directly threaten him. The eerie scene didn't evoke much fear.
He strode forward, reaching out to touch one of the figures' faces.
Unsurprisingly—
Poof!
Su Heng's hand passed right through the figure's head, which dissipated into mist like Li Si before.
This happened with the second, third, fourth… until the fifth, when Su Heng finally encountered something solid.
Bang!
It was a coffin shop owner—an old man with cloudy eyes, wearing a pale shroud. Su Heng's slap sent him sprawling to the ground with a dull thud.
The external force seemed to disrupt some internal balance in the old man, releasing wisps of grayish-white mist that quickly merged with the surrounding fog.
It seemed unremarkable,
but Su Heng felt a slight tingling on the back of his hand. He looked down to see tiny, red bumps resembling gooseflesh appearing on his skin. They were slightly swollen and itchy.
"This…"
Su Heng closed his eyes, sensing carefully, his expression turning to surprise.
"This fog isn't fog… it's countless microscopic spores. Their sheer number gives the illusion of fog."
"These spores can take root in the body, absorbing nutrients.
My constitution is far superior to ordinary people, my resistance is strong, so the spores only remain on the surface, unable to penetrate deeper.
However…
even so, these spores are terrifying."
Boom!
Su Heng's arms trembled. The potent, scorching Yang Extremity True Force circulated within him, his skin glowing red as sweat evaporated into smoke, like flames leaping in the void. Not only were the spores on his body destroyed, but a large area of the surrounding air was cleared.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 38: Infection
As Su Heng circulated his internal energy, a large void formed within the mist. But it was useless. As his energy subsided, the surrounding fog swirled, quickly filling the void.
"Initially, the Mist Demon was weak, its mist only capable of confusing perception. But over time, it must have undergone a transformation. This mist now affects humans. No wonder it dared to appear in Changqing County."
"And that white leopard… damn it, the Mist Demon must have a creature-enhancement ability. Is that also achieved through these strange fungi? Very likely."
"Its abilities are bizarre, and its intelligence is high. This demon is truly troublesome."
"We need to find the Mist Demon's core to solve this monster once and for all."
"Damn it… I've lived in Changqing County for over a decade, and now I'm lost. How do I find its core?"
"Can Su Li's Demon Locator work? Worth a try."
"Are there any other details I've overlooked…" Su Heng frowned, a spark of insight flashing in his mind.
"Right!"
He recalled his first encounter with the Mist Demon in the Black Kui Mountains. The mountains were shrouded in mist, visibility was zero, direction was impossible to discern, and ambushes were constant threats.
But then it rained…
The rain dispersed the mountain mist, and the demons lurking within fled.
"Rainwater must counter the Mist Demon, just like how Water Ghouls weaken in dry, hot environments."
There's a possibility of mutual restraint and influence between demons and their environment. Su Heng couldn't be entirely certain, but it was highly probable.
Su Heng investigated the city, witnessing many strange sights but finding nothing significant. The mist grew thicker. Worried about his family, he returned home.
He smelled the scent of demonic blood. He saw Su Li squatting on the ground, a brush in her hand, drawing intricate patterns on the floor, walls, and tree trunks. These patterns seemed to possess some power, gathering the wind into swirling currents that dispersed the mist.
Though the mist had engulfed the entire city, the Su family estate remained untouched thanks to the power of the formations.
Su Gui and Su Mu stood together, surrounded by several guards and accountants, whispering amongst themselves. They hadn't yet grasped the gravity of the situation, only finding the weather unusual. A moment ago, the sky was clear, but now dark clouds blotted out the sun, and the city was shrouded in impenetrable fog, causing unease.
Su Shang was also there. Despite his usual air of maturity, his youthful curiosity was uncontainable. He stood on tiptoe beside Su Li, observing his older sister's strange markings. Lost in fascination, he was even gnawing on his finger, oblivious to the drool dripping onto his sleeve.
"You're back…" Su Li looked up, a smile on her face. She set down her brush and wiped the sweat from her brow. "I used some demonic blood from your secret room to draw these formations. You don't mind, do you?"
"Whew…" Su Heng approached Su Li and blew on her forehead. Her long, black hair billowed like a dark cloud, revealing her smooth, fair forehead.
"What are you doing?!" Su Li frowned. "What was that for?"
"I was just making sure you're real…" Su Heng smiled, then his expression turned serious.
He recounted his encounter.
"You mean the mist isn't actual fog, but countless microscopic fungi?" Su Li shivered. "This is troublesome."
"What happens if you touch these fungi?" Su Shang asked.
"You'll become a desiccated corpse…" Su Heng replied.
"The Sky-Challenging Tavern?!" A startled guard interrupted, having overheard their conversation.
"What's wrong with that tavern?" Su Heng asked, stepping forward to shield Su Li and Su Shang.
"That tavern… was burned down not long ago," the young guard said, lost in thought. "Someone ate something unclean there, and many went mad. The authorities, fearing another demonic incident, simply burned it down."
"Burned down?" Su Heng was taken aback. "That's impossible. I saw it with my own eyes."
"Who burned it down, and why?" Su Heng pressed.
"The authorities…" the young guard said. "Apparently, people ate something unclean at the tavern, and many went mad. The authorities, fearing another demonic incident, simply burned it down."
"Something unclean?" Su Heng asked. "Wasn't it something dug up from Black Kui Mountain?"
"Yes!" the guard exclaimed. "It was dug up from Black Kui Mountain. They said it was a very valuable 'taisei' (a type of rare fungus), more delicious than dragon meat. Everyone who ate it said it was amazing…"
"If you ask me, the authorities were just collecting protection money," the guard said, his voice rising, his eyes gleaming strangely. "Such delicious 'taisei', how could it be problematic?"
"You… ate that 'taisei' too?" Su Heng took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the guard.
"Yes, I did," the guard said, smiling. "Not only that, I brought a piece back for you, sir."
"AAAAAH!!!"
A scream of terror echoed through the courtyard. Su Li hugged Su Shang, covering his eyes.
The guard unbuttoned his collar, revealing a chest covered in white fungal threads. His flesh was withered and decaying. With a casual tug, he ripped open his chest, pulling out a still-beating heart and presenting it to Su Heng.
"Sir! Sir!"
The guard smiled, but it was more terrifying than crying. A flicker of lucidity returned to his bloodshot eyes, bulging from their sockets, his face contorted in terror. "What's happening to me, sir? Save me!"
He howled, white mist emanating from his mouth and nose, spreading outward under the influence of the formations.
"Damn it!" Su Heng's face turned grim.
Sizzle!
His body suddenly swelled, his dark muscles bulging grotesquely. His yang energy surged uncontrollably, a wave of heat like a volcanic eruption, transforming into crimson smoke that burned and leaped.
Bang!
Su Heng spread his fingers, striking down with a palm that warped the air into a shadow.
The guard's head vanished, sinking into his chest. His body, infused with yang energy, burst into flames, quickly becoming a towering inferno.
(End of Chapter)